CHAPTER XXIV
HENRY IS ATTACKED
The days to follow were full of hard work for the young soldiers. Theywere detailed with the baggage corps, and had all they could do to bringthrough the many things left in their care. Although Dave did not knowthe truth, it was Lieutenant Naster who had much of this work piled onthe young soldier's shoulders.
The sail down Lake Oneida proved a period of rest, for which both Daveand Henry were truly thankful. Both made the journey in a long and widebatteau, commonly called to-day a flat-bottom boat. It was now the endof June and the weather was hot. On one occasion the youths went inbathing, but this time nothing molested them. They also went fishing andbrought out as nice a mess of fish as the clear waters of this lakeafforded.
"It's an ideal spot for a home," said Dave. "Puts me in mind of theKinotah."
"If the Kinotah is as good as this I wouldn't want anything better,"replied Henry.
The batteau, of extra-large size, was filled with baggage, and besidesthe boys there were ten rangers on board, including old Campwell. Theold man sat in the rear of the craft, eyeing the shore critically.
"My eyesight ain't none o' the best," he drawled, presently. "But onlessI'm in error, I jest see a number o' Injuns behind yonder skirt o'bushes."
All looked in the direction, and presently one of the other rangers saidthat he, too, saw at least two Indians. They appeared to be following upthe boats and at the same time did all they could to keep hidden.
"What do you make of that?" asked Henry of Barringford, who was pullingan oar beside him.
The old frontiersman shrugged his shoulders. "Depends on whether theyare friends or enemies, Henry," he said. "If they are friends more'nlikely they'll jine us when we reach the river."
"And if not?"
"Then they ought to be captured, for if they ain't friends they arespying for the French."
Evidently the Indians had not been discovered by those on the otherbatteaux, and after a short talk the man in charge of that containingour friends decided to report the case to his superior, in a boat somedistance ahead. Pulling with all strength, the clumsy craft was, inquarter of an hour, brought alongside of Captain Mollett's boat.
"Indians, eh?" said the captain, reflectively. "Couldn't make them outvery well, could you?"
"No, captain."
"Hum! We'll have to investigate this."
Word was passed to several other batteaux, and soon after a boat turnedtoward shore, having on board fifteen rangers, including Barringford andHenry. Dave and Schnitzer wished to accompany the others but this wasnot permitted.
"Good-by until we meet again!" cried Henry, on leaving.
"Take good care of yourself," returned Dave, and so with a wave of thehand the two cousins parted.
It did not take the batteau long to reach the north shore of the lake,and as soon as the craft grounded all leaped out. Fastening the boat toa nearby tree, the rangers set out on a search for the Indians.
The party was under the command of George Harvey, well known as an oldIndian fighter of the Mohawk valley and a man who was as shrewd as hewas daring. He had brought the rangers ashore boldly, but once in theshelter of the timber he halted his men to give them advice.
"We'll spread out in a straight line, due north," he said. "Each manabout thirty yards from the next. Then we can beat up the timberthoroughly. Don't fire until you're sure of what you are doing, for tokill a friendly Indian just now would be the worst thing we could do.General Johnson would never forgive you for it. He had hard enough workto make 'em come over to us."
It fell to Henry's lot to skirt the shore of the lake, with Barringfordnext to him. The way was easy where the trail ran close to the water,but at other points was exceedingly difficult, for big stones and thickbrushwood frequently blocked his progress.
"Phew! but this is no child's play!" he muttered to himself, as he cameout on a point of the shore where the sun blazed down fiercely. "Afellow couldn't feel any hotter plowing corn or turning hay. I'd rathergo swimming than hunt up Indians, I must confess."
His soliloquy was broken by the flitting of something from one tree toanother, some distance ahead. The movement was so rapid, and thedistance so great, that he could not settle in his mind what the objecthad been.
"Was that an Indian, or some big wild bird?" he asked himself. Drawingback into the shelter of some bushes he held his gun ready for use, andgazed ahead with much interest.
The sun was now well down in the west, so his shadow fell in front ofhim as he gazed eastward. Of a sudden another shadow loomed up besidehis own. He turned, but before he could defend himself, he was hauledback and his gun was wrenched from his grasp. He tried to cry out, but ared hand was instantly clapped over his mouth.
Henry tried his best to free himself but it was useless. Two brawnywarriors had attacked him, and now one of the redmen flourished a longhunting knife in his face, at the same time muttering some words ofwarning in a guttural tone. Henry did not understand the languagespoken, but he knew what was meant--that he would be killed if heattempted to either fight or cry out--and so for the time being he laystill.
At a distance the young soldier heard the sounds of footsteps, and herightfully surmised that Barringford was continuing his journey forward,with the rest of the rangers. Soon the sounds died away and all becameas silent as the grave.
But the Indians did not wish to take any chances and so the one with theknife continued to stand over the young soldier until his companion wascertain the whites had gone on. Then he emitted a short and peculiarbird-like whistle.
In less than two minutes fully a dozen warriors appeared on the scene,crawling from behind logs and rocks and from holes among the tree roots.All came forward and gazed curiously at the prisoner.
A parley lasting but a few minutes followed. Henry tried his best tomake out what was said, but this Indian dialect was entirely new to him.He half suspected that these redmen had come down into New York from thenorth shore of Lake Ontario and in this he was not mistaken. They werespies, as it was long afterward proved, sent out by Saint Luc de laCorne, the French officer in command at Isle Royal, afterward calledChimney Island.
The coming ashore of the English had evidently disconcerted the Indiansand they hesitated over what should be their next move. But at last theyset off on a rapid march northward, taking Henry with them. The youngsoldier's hands were bound behind him and he was given to understandthat if he did not move along as suited them he would be killed on thespot.
"A nice pickle I'm in and no mistake," he mused, as the party toiled upa long hill and through a dense patch of timber where the undergrowthalmost barred all progress. "These redskins won't give me the slightestchance to get away, and where they are taking me is more than I canguess. Wonder what Barringford will say when he finds I am missing?"
Some time after this a distant shot sounded out, at which all of theIndians came to a halt. The shot was followed by several others, allcoming from the direction of the lake.
"Perhaps they are signals meant for me," thought Henry. "Oh, if onlyBarringford and the others strike the right trail!"
The shots having come to an end, the forward march was resumed, and theparty did not halt again until long after nightfall. Henry was bound toa tree and one of the Indians, who seemed less bloodthirsty than theothers, gave him a bit of meat, some corn cakes, and a drink of water.The young soldier thanked the redskin and tried to engage him inconversation, but the Indian merely shook his head and walked away.
When the Indians retired for the night Henry was tied to a short stakedriven deeply into the ground. This allowed him to rest on one side orthe other, but still kept his hands behind him--a most uncomfortableposition. But lying down, even like that, was better than standingagainst the tree, and he was so tired he was soon fast asleep.
A kick in the ribs awoke him at early daybreak, and after a lightbreakfast, the Indians resumed their journey. In a short time theygained a small stream, and from a hiding
place brought forth severalcanoes. Henry was made to enter one of the canoes and the whole partybegan to paddle down the stream swiftly and in the utmost silence.
The watercourse was less than five yards wide and in many places thebranches of the trees on the opposite banks intertwined, forming a long,low bower, beneath which the sunlight was hardly able to penetrate.Outside it was hot and dry, but on this stream it was deliciously cool,and under other circumstances Henry would have enjoyed the canoe tripgreatly. Game was plentiful and frequently popped up within easyshooting distance. The Indians did not use their guns, however, althougha number of birds and a deer were brought down by the aid of a bow andarrows in the hands of an Indian in the front canoe.
Before the trip on the river came to an end Henry calculated that theyhad covered at least sixteen miles. They went ashore just above a smallwater-fall and now the Indians took their canoes with them. The partyturned westward, and Henry guessed that they were bound for the easternshore of Lake Ontario.
"If they once get me on the lake I'll be booked for Canada, that'scertain," he mused, dismally. "If only I had half a chance I'd run forit, even though I'd risk being shot."
Marching on Niagara; Or, The Soldier Boys of the Old Frontier Page 27